


Control Your Face

by thesoundofnat



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Bilbo is confused, M/M, The company is so done with their shit, Thorin Is an Idiot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-15
Updated: 2015-11-15
Packaged: 2018-05-01 19:50:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,464
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5218643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thesoundofnat/pseuds/thesoundofnat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Thorin cannot stand how cute Bilbo is, so he doesn’t know how to look at him. Cue Thorin glaring, leering, and doing all he can not to smile at the hobbit like an idiot. The company is obviously so done with his shit.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Control Your Face

**Author's Note:**

> Also posted on my tumblr thesoundofnat.tumblr.com

Not much impressed Thorin. Not a lot of things even made him feel a certain way unless it was annoyance. Dís had once said that he was as emotionally reachable as a highly positioned elf, and everyone knew that those felt nothing but pride and arrogance.  
  
He’d refused to speak to her for a week after that.

Truth be told, Thorin had learnt to put up a barrier between himself and everything else once Erebor had fallen. He couldn’t afford to show any of his feelings. One ounce of weakness, of sorrow, and his people would be discouraged. It was his job to remain calm and collected, and most importantly grave as they faced the toughest years to follow.  
  
Somehow he cut off most of his feelings along the way, and now he’d gotten so used to that cold persona he’d built up that he’d be surprised if anything not related to their quest to reclaim their home would make him feel anything positive.  
  
He was in for the surprise of his life.  
  
Bilbo Baggins had made him scoff at first sight. How that little halfling would be of any help to them was beyond Thorin, but Gandalf had insisted, so he’d caved. He hadn’t really had another choice.  
  
He still wasn’t sure if it had been a good idea or not, but he’d found that he had grown to care about the hobbit, and he couldn’t say that about many people. But Bilbo was different. He might be small and weak and timid, but he was also courageous, witty and quick on his feet.

And he made Thorin Oakenshield feel something for the first time in ages.

Yes, somewhere, during their journey, Thorin came to realize that Bilbo made his heart flutter with something that he at first couldn’t identify, and that was simply because the hobbit was too cute for his own good.

Thorin was ashamed to admit it; would prefer to use another word, at least, but watching Bilbo grin at something someone said, wrinkle his nose when in deep thought, and hop up quickly when someone called his name was just too much for Thorin, so he’d never been able to think of a synonym.

It was all a lot more frustrating than one would think. Thorin was used to watching his comrades. A leader had to be good at observing, not just to gain the advantage of an upcoming battle, but also to be able to help his people. Thorin could tell with just a glance if Ori was upset over something, and he usually sent Dori for damage check. Just one look could tell him if Balin was disagreeing with him - not that he always did something about that - and a very brief peek could inform him of what state his nephews were in. Not many creatures in Middle Earth knew how observant dwarves were, but Mahâl knew that Thorin was the most observant of them all.

But to be so caught up in one hobbit made it a bit harder for him to be able to watch everyone else. It had started simply enough. Thorin had been watching him for a moment, taking in the way he prepared his bedroll and making sure that he wasn’t sporting an injury after that day’s hardships that he was hiding. He then found himself watching Bilbo more often than he really thought was necessary. And then suddenly he couldn’t stop.

So he watched Bilbo more often than not, and he was beginning to think that the rest of the company had noticed.

“He’s a hobbit,” Thorin said when Dwalin brought it up one night. “I cannot be sure how his kin reacts to certain situations. He might need aid without us knowing.”

Dwalin had been clever enough to not press on.

But truth be told, Thorin had at one point witnessed Bilbo beam as Fíli and Kíli roared with laughter at something he’d said, and that blasted phrase had found its way into his head and he couldn’t unthink it now.

_‘He’s so cute’_ his mind had whispered and Thorin had wanted to scream.

Now everything Bilbo did was endearing - found that synonym at last. From the way he ate to the way he frowned. Even his glares were cute, which was why Thorin had such a hard time taking them seriously. He’d known that this quest would be a tough one, but for a cute hobbit to be one of his most frequent challenges had not been anywhere near his plans.

He was currently glowering at the ground, because if he didn’t he would probably do something stupid. Like smile as Bilbo’s laughter rung in the air.

Thorin found that the only way to not look at Bilbo was to not look at anything in particular. If he’d lift his head to observe the others he would most likely end up staring at the hobbit. The whole thing made his position as the company’s leader a very difficult one.

“You’re pathetic, you know that?”

Thorin didn’t even need to raise his gaze to know that Dwalin had taken a seat next to him. It wasn’t much about him recognizing his cousin’s voice, but more about the fact that no one else in the entire world would ever speak to him like that.

“The perks of being related to a king,” Dwalin had said so many years ago.

“What do you want?” Thorin grumbled back.

“I want you to stop making the hobbit feel like he’s under threat every time you look at him.”

Thorin glanced to the side straight into Dwalin’s eyes. “He feels threatened?”  
  
Dwalin rolled his eyes. “Of course he does. Even I would feel threatened if you gave me that look.”  
  
“It is not my intention to make him feel uneasy,” Thorin said honestly.

“I know that. Mâhal knows I know that, but Thorin, the hobbit hasn’t known you his entire life like I have.”

Thorin averted his eyes and let them fall on Bilbo. He looked a lot more sober than how he’d sounded moments earlier. He was watching Bofur intently now, taking in every word he spoke, before breaking into a bright grin as the group around him exploded with laughter.

“He seems to be a lot more comfortable with them now,” Thorin said quietly.

Dwalin’s gaze roamed over the burglar as well. “He is,” he assured him. “If there’s one good thing about this damned journey then it’s how hard it is to not become close to each other.”

“Do you think he has what it takes, Dwalin?” Thorin asked, looking at the ground again.

“Bilbo?”

“Aye. Bilbo.”

“I cannot tell. To me it seems like even being in the same mountain as Smaug will kill him. Though I’m sure he’s tougher than he seems,” he quickly added when Thorin whirled his head to glare at him. “I don’t know much about hobbits, but they certainly tend to surprise you. At least this one does.”

Thorin didn’t look away from his cousin as he spoke this time. “I know I doubted him from the very start but… My doubt is now worrying me.”

“You’re afraid he won’t make it,” Dwalin said, his voice almost soft.

Thorin exhaled heavily. “I want him to make it.”

“We all do. Look how attached they all have gotten to him.”

Dwalin gestured to their companions. While not everyone was currently sitting together, Thorin knew what Dwalin meant. Before he found himself unable to look at Bilbo without wanting to flee, or even worse kiss him, he’d noticed how the other dwarves started warming up to him. He wasn’t at all surprised that his nephews liked the hobbit, but even Dori seemed to take to him. It was quite heartwarming to see.

Thorin smirked at Dwalin. “You’re attached to him, too.”

Dwalin rolled his eyes. “Let’s not go there, Thorin. We both know that if there was to be a competition over which one of us liked Bilbo Baggins the most, I would not be the winner.”

Thorin huffed, turning to glower at the ground again. “That reminds me. Why did you call me pathetic earlier anyway?”

The other dwarf snorted. “Because you are. You can’t even stand to look at the hobbit for more than a second at a time. And when you do you scare him half to death. Do try to not look so enraged, won’t you?”

Thorin didn’t provide him with an answer, but he took Dwalin’s advice to heart. The last thing he wanted was for Bilbo to be scared of him, despite what anyone thought.

* * *

 

“A word of advice, Thorin,” Balin said a couple of days later.

Thorin narrowed his eyes at him. “You and your brother are giving me a lot of those lately.”

“Well, you need them,” Balin replied dryly. “I’m guessing Dwalin told you to stop glaring at our hobbit?”

Thorin huffed. “He might’ve mentioned it.”

“I’m here to tell you that whatever it is that you’re doing instead isn’t working.”

“What do you mean?”

Balin’s expression softened. “You’ve gotten so used to glaring at him that you always start doing it, catch yourself, and then proceed to give him this very weird surprised look instead. It’s quite alarming to have someone look at you with their eyebrows almost at their hairline.”

“I’m simply attempting not to glower,” Thorin muttered. “I cannot help it.”

“Maybe,” Balin started, leaning closer to him. “you should drop this facade you’re upholding. It would be easier for everyone involved.”

“I’m not upholding anything,” Thorin denied, knowing that if this was Dwalin he would probably shout at him. It was always harder to shout at Balin.

Balin’s knowing smile made him really want to, though. “Of course you aren’t.”

Thorin rubbed a hand over his eyes. “I don’t understand why you lot keep implying things.”

Balin held up his hands. “We’re not implying anything,” he said innocently. “Do try not to look so surprised when you watch Bilbo from now on, okay?”

Thorin waved a hand at him. “I don’t know how to look at him. You and Dwalin are slowly taking away my options.”

Something twinkled in Balin’s eyes. “Just try to smile at him, won’t you?”

“Smile,” Thorin repeated, tasting the word. “I will try.”

Balin clapped him on the shoulder. “Good.”

Except apparently it wasn’t that good. Only hours later Fíli and Kíli marched up to him and gave him a questioning look.

“Uncle, may we speak with you?” Fíli asked, sitting down in front of him, looking more serious than Thorin was used to seeing him.

Thorin straightened. “Is something wrong?”

“With your face? Possibly,” Kíli said as he sat down next to his brother, the teasing grin Thorin was sure would accompany those words nowhere in sight.

Thorin blinked. “What do you mean?”

His nephews exchanged a look that Thorin couldn’t entirely read, which sort of annoyed him.

“We know that you’re not quite certain what to think of Bilbo,” Kíli started, speaking slowly as if choosing his words carefully.

“Which is possibly the reason that you’re not sure how to look at him,” Fíli continued for him. “But uncle, we beg of you, stop leering at him. It’ll only make him uncomfortable once he notices.”

Thorin was certain that they were pulling his leg now. “Leering at him? I haven’t leered at anyone, especially not the hobbit.”

Kíli looked pained as he asked, “Then what is it that you’re doing?”

Thorin felt his face harden. “Balin told me to smile at him, so that’s what I’ve been doing.”

The younglings didn’t speak for a few seconds, just shared yet another look.

“Please do not take this the wrong way, uncle,” Fíli muttered. “but whatever you’re doing is not a smile.”

Thorin was way too confused to feel offended at the moment. “It’s not?”

Kíli shook his head. “I’ve seen you smile before. It doesn’t look as forced.”

The king felt helpless now. “So I cannot glare, I cannot smile, and apparently I cannot look surprised either. How should I look at him, then?”

Fíli and Kíli looked quite alarmed at being asked.

“Just soften your face!” Kíli squeaked out. “Try not to look so...stern.”

Thorin pinched the bridge of his nose. “If I had know that my biggest concern this week would be how I should look at a hobbit…” he muttered, trailing off. “I will try to ‘soften my face’,” he quoted. “but I cannot promise more.”

His nephews grinned exaggeratedly at him. “Good!”

“That’s what Balin said, and that turned out so well,” Thorin grumbled to himself as he watched Fíli and Kíli sprint back to wherever they had been sitting before. He had a feeling tomorrow would be a long day.

* * *

 

If there was one thing Thorin couldn’t stand it was when people looked at him funny. Yes, being a dwarf without a real home for the past years had gotten him some looks, and yes, he’d gotten used to it, but that didn’t mean that he’d liked it. Especially not coming from his own kin.

“What?” he snapped, only feeling a little bad when Ori all but scrambled away from him.

Óin, who was the closest to him and had been participating in the staring-contest, raised an eyebrow. “Are you okay, Thorin?”

“Why? Is it my face again? Because I’m starting to get tired of this conversation.”

Nori leaned closer to him. “What is up with your face? You keep getting these faraway looks.”

“And they’re completely different from the real look you get when you’re lost in thought,” Bifur added in Khuzdûl.

Thorin sighed, his shoulders slumping down ever so slightly. “I’m trying to soften my expression, but apparently it’s not working.”

“Why do you want to do that?” Glóin asked, sounding confused.

Thorin turned away from his companions and let his gaze fall onto where the hobbit was sitting with Gandalf, discussing something animatedly. For one brief moment Bilbo glanced up and their eyes locked, and Thorin looked away so quickly that he didn’t have time to worry about what expression to adopt.

“Because apparently I freak our burglar out with my face,” he muttered, scowling deeply at the ground.

No one made a sound, but Thorin could feel the understanding sweep over the company, and he really didn’t feel like dealing with it right now.

“How long till dinner?” he asked, his voice louder than before.

Bombur, who was standing next to the fire in order to prepare the food, quickly returned to the task at hand. “It won’t take too long,” he answered. “I just need to-”

“Hey, hey, don’t touch the herbs. I got it.” Bilbo was rushing over to them, frowning as he held out his hand. “We’ve been over this, Bombur.”

Everyone made a big deal of turning to look at Thorin before scattering, going back to whatever they had been doing before cornering their leader.

Bilbo shot them all a questioning glance before looking at Thorin. “What’s up with them?”

Thorin shrugged, glaring at a spot above Bilbo’s shoulder. He caught the hobbit flinching a bit before giving him a weak excuse of a smile and hastily turning back to Bombur.

Thorin wanted to smack himself.

* * *

 

He’d gotten good at not being alone with Bilbo. It wasn’t much that he avoided him, because that would be silly of him. He just always had other things to take care of, such as checking to see if they were going the right way, keeping an eye on their surroundings in case danger was looming near, and just generally being the leader of their company. It was time-consuming, but he knew that it was only a matter of time before he had to speak to the hobbit.

That moment arrived on a clear evening as Thorin was sitting on a fallen tree branch by himself; his gaze sweeping between his comrades and the thick forest trees. He heard Bilbo stroll up to him and decided that it would be way too rude to not look at him.

He nodded in greeting as Bilbo sat down next to him.

“Beautiful night,” he said, returning Thorin’s nod and turning his gaze to the starfilled sky.

“Indeed,” Thorin replied, imitating him.

“Though it kind of feels like the calm before the storm,” Bilbo continued, and Thorin could see him look back at him from the corner of his eye. “We’re so close to Lake-town now that I know it’s only a matter a time before…” He trailed off.

“Before we have to face Smaug,” Thorin finished for him.

Bilbo nodded. “Exactly. This could be our last quiet night for all I know.”

“I’m sure it won’t be,” Thorin told him, still not looking away from the twinkling sky.

Bilbo didn’t reply, and for a moment they sat in silence, only the wind and their companions’ voices filling their ears.

Thorin licked his lips before tearing his gaze away from the stars and letting it fall onto the hobbit. “It’s very brave, what you’re doing.”

Bilbo looked at him somewhat confusedly. “Pardon?”

“Coming with us to reclaim Erebor while knowing that a dragon is waiting. Not a lot of people would do it.”

Bilbo squirmed in his seat, his gaze lowering, and suddenly everything Thorin had been suppressing returned to the surface. It took everything in him not to do something stupid as those words hung from the tip of his tongue.

“Well, thank you,” Bilbo mumbled, a small smile finding his lips. “I think what you’re doing is incredible. All of you.”

Thorin’s mouth twitched, and he gave him what he hoped was a grateful look. When Bilbo’s smile vanished he knew that he had failed.

“Uh, are you okay?” he asked, looking uncertain.

“Fine,” Thorin choked out. “Why?”

“It’s just… Your face…”

Thorin growled inwardly. He had tired of this conversation the second time around. “What about it?”

“It’s just,” Bilbo waved his hands around. “moving a lot.”

Thorin then understood what he meant. Without noticing he’d switched between glaring, leering, looking surprised, and every other expression he’d adopted the past week; making his face twitch in a probably unpleasant manner. No wonder Bilbo didn’t know how to react.

The dwarf covered his face with his hands in a very unkingly way. “I’m sorry,” he mumbled into his palms.

He felt Bilbo place his hand on his arm. “It’s fine, Thorin. I just want to know that you’re okay.”

“Well, I’m not.” Thorin dropped his hands and looked Bilbo straight in the eyes. “I don’t know how to look at you anymore, because each time I do I just want to say it.”

Bilbo frowned. “Say what?”

“Say that I think you’re cute!” Thorin spat out, pouting like a child. “I find everything about you endearing and I do not know how to handle it.”

Bilbo stared at him in shock for a few seconds, his mouth hanging open. Thorin wanted to scream because even _that_ was cute to him.

Bilbo seemed to notice his agitated look and snapped out of it. “I don’t know what to say,” he mumbled. “I’m...sorry?”

Thorin had to snort at that. “You don’t need to apologize.”

The hobbit fiddled with the hem of his coat, suddenly looking nervous. It was probably because Thorin was glaring at him again or something.

He was more than a little surprised when Bilbo lay his hand timidly over his own. “Cute wouldn’t be the word I would use for you, but I do think you’re...very handsome.”

Thorin’s heart was beating almost painfully hard against his chest. “Y-you do?”

Bilbo nodded eagerly. “I do.”

Even if he’d wanted to stop his smile from etching itself onto his lips, Thorin would be unable to. He felt everything he’d held back come out into the open, and he didn’t mind one bit. He covered Bilbo’s hand with his other one.

“I’ve been so confused about this. I’m sorry if I scared you with my...face.”

Bilbo let out a laugh. “It’s okay. I can understand where you came from.”

Thorin bit the inside of his cheek, never breaking eye contact. “Hopefully my face will behave from now on.”

Bilbo grinned hugely at him. “Whatever it ends up doing, you can bet I will like it.”

Thorin smiled and smiled and smiled, and eventually Dwalin had to walk up to him and beg him to “Stop looking so damn happy all the time. We’re about to face a _dragon_.”

“You can never please everyone,” Thorin muttered in response. “At least Bilbo likes it.”

“Bilbo likes everything about you.”

“I thought you wanted me to stop smiling?”

“You’re pathetic.”

“Aye.” His smile grew. “I am.”

Dwalin rolled his eyes for days.


End file.
